Chip cards, integrated circuit-containing devices resembling a ‘credit card’ in size, shape and material, are in widespread use in a large number of application areas. Standardized chip cards, such as those conforming to ISO standard 7816 or ISO 7810 having surface contacts may be used with chip card reading/writing devices across a wide range of applications and manufacturers without difficulty, owing to their standardization.
According to the standard, contact areas are arranged on a predetermined portion of a chip card, the contact areas being connected such as by leads to a semiconductor chip having dimensions suitable for embedding within the standardized chip card. The contact areas, and the chip may be formed in advance, including the relevant connections, the resultant subassembly being referred to as a ‘chip module’.
Chip modules provide protection for the integrated circuit against environmental influences, both during manufacture of the chip card in which the chip module is installed, and afterward, when the chip card is in ordinary use. Likewise, chip modules should provide reliable means of interface, such as with card readers/writers, and should be formed of materials that are durable, preferably renewable, and/or cost efficient.